Aid in Action
Global White Ribbon Alliance Recognizes Midwives in Aceh
Erni not only survived the tsunami, but is is helping others in need and encouraging other Aceh midwives to do the same.
Bali |
Friday, June 17, 2005
Yudha Munir
The Minister of Health, Dr. Siti Fadilah Supari, presents the 2005 Award for Safe Motherhood Champions to Ms Erni Munir, accompanied by Anne Hyre of JHPIEGO at the USAID’s White Ribbon Alliance Regional Meeting in Bali, Indonesia.
The USAID-funded Global White Ribbon Alliance presents the 2005 Award for Safe Motherhood Champions in the Tsunami-Affected Regions, to Acehnese Midwife, Ms. Erni Munir.
At the time of the earthquake, Midwife Erni Munir was conducting a clinical training at her private/home practice. She had upgraded this private practice to serve as a model service delivery site after receiving training in 2003 by JHPIEGO and Save the Children as a clinical trainer. Located only 3 kilometers from the ocean, it was not long before the tsunami hit. Erni, her family, and trainees were swept away. Erni was carried 2 kilometers from her home. Her husband and 3 daughters were never found. Her home and clinic were destroyed.
Two weeks later, she had plans to sign a lease for an empty shop and start a new clinic. The following day, she and five others were painting and building partitions. That was on Wednesday. By Monday, she had installed a large hand painted sign out front and was back in business, caring for women. Since then, she has been seeing patients, including arranging for transportation of pregnant women living in camps to come to her for their births. People desperately needed her, and still do.
How anyone can lose so much and continue living is nearly incomprehensible. Erni is not “just living.” She is helping others in need and encouraging other Aceh midwives to do the same. She was a role model for clinical practice before the tsunami; she is now a role model for hundreds of midwives attempting to rebuild their lives. What she has accomplished is remarkable.
Indonesia has one of the highest rates of maternal deaths in the Asia region. Thanks to USAID funding, increasing access to safe delivery was one of the highest priority interventions in the initial response to the tsunami tragedy. USAID continues to work with Achenese midwives to increase their clinical skills and provide needed life saving equipment to save the lives of pregnant women, newborns and children in Aceh.